GridMew1Check region C
region C has only one remaining candidate: row 3, column 4. Every other cell is excluded by earlier placements or deductions. Place the cat here.
Before step 1. Place one cat, then exclude 4 other cells.A regional single creates a column-5 follow-up
Original puzzle gm-6-0010
By GridMew · Published 15 October 2026 · Updated 16 October 2026
6 × 6 intro
Read the starting position, follow the deductions, and check the move that is easy to misread.
Puzzle board · starting state
How to approach this board
Coordinates such as r2c3 mean row 2, column 3. Count rows from the top and columns from the left.
The givens at r6c3 and r2c6 leave C with only r3c4. Inspect that region before scanning every empty row; its forced cat removes both local and distant candidates.
6×6 · 2 fixed cats · 4 explained deductions. Region sizes: A: 5 · B: 6 · C: 6 · D: 6 · E: 8 · F: 5.
A deduction worth checking
Column 5 resolves at r5c5 next. This fills E, removing r4c2 as well as candidates nearer the new cat.
A move to double-check · r4c2
r4c2 is too far from r5c5 to touch it. Both cells belong to E, so the regional quota explains this seemingly distant exclusion.
Green marks the cell being discussed, not a cat to place. This is the position before step 2; compare the deduction below.
Read the starting board as text
Each line is one row, left to right. Matching letters belong to the same connected region.
A A A B B B A A E B B B D D E C C C D E E E E C D D F E E C D F F F F C
Fixed cats: row 6, column 3; row 2, column 6. One cat is required in each row, column and region.
Step-by-step walkthrough
2Check column 5
column 5 has only one remaining candidate: row 5, column 5. Every other cell is excluded by earlier placements or deductions. Place the cat here.
Before step 2. Place one cat, then exclude 2 other cells.3Check row 4
row 4 has only one remaining candidate: row 4, column 1. Every other cell is excluded by earlier placements or deductions. Place the cat here.
Before step 3. Place one cat, then exclude 1 other cells.4Check row 1
row 1 has only one remaining candidate: row 1, column 2. Every other cell is excluded by earlier placements or deductions. Place the cat here.
Before step 4. Place one cat, then exclude 0 other cells.Show solution · reveals all cat positions
The final cats satisfy every row, column and region quota, with no edge or corner contact.
Cat positions: r1c2, r2c6, r3c4, r4c1, r5c5, r6c3.
Try another puzzle
A bottom-right cat clears a path through row 3
gm-6-0005 · 6×6 · intro
Practice single-candidate placements on another 6×6 board.
Read this walkthrough →Let the fourth row settle the top edge
gm-5-0002 · 5×5 · intro
Transfer single-candidate placements to a 5×5 grid; compare how the candidates change.
Read this walkthrough →A shared neighborhood settles the right edge
gm-6-0007 · 6×6 · challenge
Compare this route with shared-neighbor exclusions, and check why that different rule is needed.
Read this walkthrough →